Jewel of the sea
by UnluckyAmulet
Summary: Wind Waker. As Tetra contemplates her newfound identity and the legacy that she and Link must repeat, the dark forces close in on their prize...


Disclaimer: I do not own Zelda._  
><em>  
>A sort of sequelcompanion piece to my other Wind Waker fic, 'Visit me in my dreams', this time focusing on when we discover Tetra's identity and her musings when she's left in the secret room, which always annoyed me in the game. I could see her getting kidnapped a mile off.

Enjoy!

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><p><em>Zelda...<em>

_I'm...Zelda?_

The young blonde woman sits on the stone platform, surrounded by stained-glass windows. It is painfully quiet in the altar of the Master Sword, especially for her, as she had grown up on the sea, and at times, nothing seemed louder.

...

_But..._

"...I am Princess Zelda."

The words sound so strange. How could she, Tetra, be Zelda?

But, bizarre as it was, it also...made sense.

After all, it explained why she had never, ever gone anywhere without her necklace, why she felt such a strong protectiveness over it and why she had been told to always look after it. It explained the strange dreams she used to have that had her dazed for hours after she eventually woke from them. It explained why, somehow, the Master Sword caused such a strange surge of recognition inside her.

It explained how, somewhere, she knew that Link was a hero, unpolished and young as he may have first seemed.

Zelda/Tetra looks down at her hands, looking surprisingly dainty in her gloves. Her clothes should feel strange, but it's like she's been wearing them her whole life. Her skin is pale- the Zelda of old didn't spend most of her days on deck, being bleached by the hot sun. Her hair, too, is different. Long and silky and cascading down her back.

On her hand, the Triforce symbol glows brightly.

But still...

She can't help worrying about Link. He's foolish and headstrong, no sense of planning or rationality. He wears his heart on his sleeve and is easy to draw into a trap.

Zelda/Tetra almost smiles.

But beneath her worry and shock, there is also anger.

This King, who claims to have been leading and guiding Link through his journey...it seems that so much has been because of this man, and Link has still been hurt because of him. She doesn't like that he ordered her to stay down here, in this tomb of memories, while he drags Link off to risk his life over again. She had been too shocked, at the time, to argue too much with the mysterious King, but now that it had worn off somewhat, a wave of indignation has swept over her.

Did they not think she could handle herself?

She was a _pirate_, for Goddess' sake! Scourge of the seas! She had endured a lot more than either Link or the King knew about, and yet here she was, sitting here with only the windows and statues for company. Does being a Princess make all of that unimportant?

Does being Zelda mean that...

...there is no Tetra?

Zelda/Tetra runs a finger over the piece of Triforce hanging around her neck, the gold smooth and comforting.

How typical. The biggest mystery of her life is solved, and the answer brings up another ton of questions. Zelda/Tetra exhales and sits down on the Triforce insignia on the ground, pale pink skirts settling around her. She stares at the windows again.

They really were beautifully crafted. Well, they ought to be. They are made to represent the Sages of legend, after all. Her mother taught her about them, about the legends of the Hero of Time and the Seven Sages, who sealed away the great evil...

_Saria. Darunia. Ruto. Nabooru. Impa. Rauru._

Zelda.

Zelda/Tetra feels small and inadequate when she thinks of the old Zelda, the one who stood side by side with the Hero of Time as they fought Ganondorf.

_I will fight. _She thinks, frowning determinably. _I will._

_And I swear, King...if anything happens to Link...you'll have to answer to ME._

Then, above her, she hears an almighty crash. She actually gasps out loud at how loud it is, down here in the chamber. Something up above shatters- the tinkling of glass is unmistakable.

Then, she hears the stone slab above the stairs being removed, somewhat forcefully.

Zelda/Tetra tenses as she hears footsteps and stands, smoothing down her dress.

"Link?" she calls, her voice echoing around the room.

And she finds herself staring into a pair of eyes like flames. Her blood turns to ice as she can only stand and stare, in a horrified silence as the towering figure advances towards her.

_No...It's not possible...How...how did he...?_

Ganondorf smirks.

"I've finally found you...Princess Zelda."

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><p>You know the drill...<p>

Review! :D


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